Flexible Working in Construction Project Management: Sustaining Team Cohesiveness

The demand for flexible working is on the rise. Many project-based organisations that work exclusively onsite, have started adopting flexible working to suit the teams' needs. Flexibility, in this context, refers to working from different locations, including an employer’s office, remote work, or a combination of both. Many organisations have been forced to adjust to these work arrangements due to reasons such as the COVID19 pandemic, demand for work-life balance, and technological advancement. However, it seems that not enough research has been conducted in the construction sector regarding the challenges of cohesiveness among project teams working flexibly. This study aims to address this gap by providing valuable insights through a review of the literature. It offers insights into the challenges of cohesiveness in flexible work environments, presented in a framework to aid project managers and their teams. A narrative literature review was performed to identify these challenges. Based on the feedback analysed from a pilot survey, a revised version was developed and analysed to inform questions for semi-structured interviews. The narratives are currently being analysed with NVivo. It is expected that the framework will have generic applicability in project management with the increasing demand for flexible working.